On Thursday, April 16, and Friday, April 17, 2026, a delegation of the Parliament of Sint Maarten, consisting of the Hon. President of Parliament, Mrs. Sarah A. Wescot-Williams; Hon. Members of Parliament Ms. Ludmila N.L. de Weever, Mrs. Veronica C. Jansen-Webster, Ms. Sjamira D.M. Roseburg, and Mr. Francisco A. Lacroes participated in a workshop for Caribbean parliamentarians titled: “Better Practices in Legislation, Policy, and Financing Subsidized Care Systems: Using the ‘5R’ Approach and Principles,” held in St. George’s, Grenada. This workshop was organized by the Parliament of Grenada, ParlAmericas, and UN Women.
During the workshop, parliamentarians, civil servants from Gender Departments, and representatives of civil society organizations from several Caribbean countries participated and shared their experiences on the care economy, while also examining the 5R care approach. This framework is designed to improve the care economy and promote gender equality by addressing both unpaid and paid care work through Recognizing, Reducing, and Redistributing unpaid care work, as well as Rewarding and Representing paid care workers, with the aim of achieving decent work.
Members of Parliament participated in panels and dialogues on understanding care and the 5R approach, emerging good practices in care policy and legislation, financing care systems, and gender-responsive social protection and care service delivery.
The workshop included a working session on parliamentary actions to strengthen care legislation and policy, and it also provided each country the opportunity to present a brief overview of the core laws and policies in place in their respective countries related to care. During this parliamentary exchange, the President of Parliament, Mrs. Wescot-Williams, on behalf of the Sint Maarten delegation, emphasized that while Sint Maarten has made progress through policy improvements such as expanded maternity leave, the introduction of paternity leave, and planned healthcare reforms, significant gaps remain, including fragmented systems and a lack of recognition for unpaid care. She also highlighted the need for systemic change through improved financing, stronger legal protections, workforce investment, and inclusive policies, thereby integrating care into economic, budgetary, and social planning to strengthen families, communities, and, ultimately, the country.
